Born in Laxdale near Stornoway, Isle of Lewis where he lived until leaving the island to do his National Service with the Royal Horse Artillery. Peter returned returned briefly to Stornoway in 1955 before moving to take up a post with Lipton's in Wick and then Thurso. He settled in Halkirk and remained with the company through various name changes until his retirement in 1998. He still lives in Halkirk nearly 50 years after moving there.

Photo: members of the Mobile Ceilidh.

"The Gaelic language was very much part of my upbringing in the Western Isles, both my mother who was from Lewis and my father who was from Skye were fluent speakers. Not surprisingly my choice of artist also was born on the Isle of Lewis. Calum Kennedy like myself grew up in a community in an area south of Stornoway where ceilidhs and music and dancing played an important part of the life of the islanders. Over the years my good friend the late John Porter and I sang at most of the local halls to communities in Caithness and Sutherland. There are probably not many of Calum's songs that I haven't sung myself at such ceilidhs but I think my favourite two have to be: Dark Lochnagar and Mo Mhathair. Both these songs are sung by Calum with such feeling and passion and although many artistes over the years have performed their own renditions, I don't think anyone can sing them like Calum Kennedy!

During the 1970s Calum had a travelling ceilidh show which visited many small communities including the North of Scotland. He was due to perform in the Royal British Legion in Thurso with Norman Maclean and Jimmy Brogan however he was unable to perform that night and I received a frantic phone call - Could I stand in and do a few of his songs to keep the crowd happy. I think I managed to do that! I took part in our own local version of Calum's travelling ceilidh - "The Mobile Ceilidh". Two very successful ceilidhs were organised to raise money for charity. We visited most of the villages in Caithness and a large amount of money was raised for the Highland Scanner Appeal and the Murray Macleod Pain Relief Fund."

This is one of the contributions to the MusicMemory Store project which is being run as part of the build-up to the National Mòd 2010 in Caithness. A variety of local people have been asked to select a favourite traditional or Gaelic music track which has a personal meaning for them, and to share the music and the story with the public.

The project seeks to raise the profile of the value of traditional and Gaelic music within the community and its relationship to the National Mòd 2010 which is being hosted in Caithness for the very first time, from 8 to 16 October.

Copies of the albums containing their chosen track are available to borrow from Wick and Thurso libraries. A new contribution will be published each week from May until the start of the Mòd.

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MusicMemory Store - Peter Murchison

2010s

music; songs

An Comunn Gàidhealach

MusicMemory Store

Born in Laxdale near Stornoway, Isle of Lewis where he lived until leaving the island to do his National Service with the Royal Horse Artillery. Peter returned returned briefly to Stornoway in 1955 before moving to take up a post with Lipton's in Wick and then Thurso. He settled in Halkirk and remained with the company through various name changes until his retirement in 1998. He still lives in Halkirk nearly 50 years after moving there.<br />
<br />
Photo: members of the Mobile Ceilidh.<br />
<br />
"The Gaelic language was very much part of my upbringing in the Western Isles, both my mother who was from Lewis and my father who was from Skye were fluent speakers. Not surprisingly my choice of artist also was born on the Isle of Lewis. Calum Kennedy like myself grew up in a community in an area south of Stornoway where ceilidhs and music and dancing played an important part of the life of the islanders. Over the years my good friend the late John Porter and I sang at most of the local halls to communities in Caithness and Sutherland. There are probably not many of Calum's songs that I haven't sung myself at such ceilidhs but I think my favourite two have to be: Dark Lochnagar and Mo Mhathair. Both these songs are sung by Calum with such feeling and passion and although many artistes over the years have performed their own renditions, I don't think anyone can sing them like Calum Kennedy! <br />
<br />
During the 1970s Calum had a travelling ceilidh show which visited many small communities including the North of Scotland. He was due to perform in the Royal British Legion in Thurso with Norman Maclean and Jimmy Brogan however he was unable to perform that night and I received a frantic phone call - Could I stand in and do a few of his songs to keep the crowd happy. I think I managed to do that! I took part in our own local version of Calum's travelling ceilidh - "The Mobile Ceilidh". Two very successful ceilidhs were organised to raise money for charity. We visited most of the villages in Caithness and a large amount of money was raised for the Highland Scanner Appeal and the Murray Macleod Pain Relief Fund."<br />
<br />
This is one of the contributions to the MusicMemory Store project which is being run as part of the build-up to the National Mòd 2010 in Caithness. A variety of local people have been asked to select a favourite traditional or Gaelic music track which has a personal meaning for them, and to share the music and the story with the public.<br />
<br />
The project seeks to raise the profile of the value of traditional and Gaelic music within the community and its relationship to the National Mòd 2010 which is being hosted in Caithness for the very first time, from 8 to 16 October. <br />
<br />
Copies of the albums containing their chosen track are available to borrow from Wick and Thurso libraries. A new contribution will be published each week from May until the start of the Mòd.